Edition 2 From Forest to Fjaeldmark The Vegetation Communities Highland treeless vegetation Richea scoparia Edition 2 From Forest to Fjaeldmark 1 Highland treeless vegetation Community (Code) Page Alpine coniferous heathland (HCH) 4 Cushion moorland (HCM) 6 Eastern alpine heathland (HHE) 8 Eastern alpine sedgeland (HSE) 10 Eastern alpine vegetation (undifferentiated) (HUE) 12 Western alpine heathland (HHW) 13 Western alpine sedgeland/herbland (HSW) 15 General description Rainforest and related scrub, Dry eucalypt forest and woodland, Scrub, heathland and coastal complexes. Highland treeless vegetation communities occur Likewise, some non-forest communities with wide within the alpine zone where the growth of trees is environmental amplitudes, such as wetlands, may be impeded by climatic factors. The altitude above found in alpine areas. which trees cannot survive varies between approximately 700 m in the south-west to over The boundaries between alpine vegetation communities are usually well defined, but 1 400 m in the north-east highlands; its exact location depends on a number of factors. In many communities may occur in a tight mosaic. In these parts of Tasmania the boundary is not well defined. situations, mapping community boundaries at Sometimes tree lines are inverted due to exposure 1:25 000 may not be feasible. This is particularly the or frost hollows. problem in the eastern highlands; the class Eastern alpine vegetation (undifferentiated) (HUE) is used in There are seven specific highland heathland, those areas where remote sensing does not provide sedgeland and moorland mapping communities, sufficient resolution. including one undifferentiated class. Other highland treeless vegetation such as grasslands, herbfields, A minor revision in 2017 added information on the grassy sedgelands and wetlands are described in occurrence of peatland pool complexes, and other sections. When peatland pool complexes described distinctive ‘prolonged snow lie facies’ occur within highland treeless vegetation and these within relevant mapping units. The Cushion water bodies are too small to map, they are mapped moorland (HCM) unit was substantially revised to as the unit appropriate to the surrounding reflect better information. vegetation rather than Water (OAQ). Alpine vegetation is generally treeless, although there may General management issues be some widely scattered trees, generally less than Fire is, at present, the most serious threat to two metres high. Several types of vegetation Highland treeless vegetation in Tasmania. Very few dominated by small trees, particularly conifers or of the plant communities in this section can recover shrubs, may occur in sheltered areas in the alpine after firing. Some take hundreds to thousands of zone. Prolonged snow-lie and extreme winds may years to recover, if they recover at all (Balmer 1991). give rise to distinctive facies within several highland Historically, large areas of the Tasmanian alpine zone treeless vegetation units. have been burnt and are now vegetated with These communities are dealt with in the section comparatively species–poor heaths. appropriate to the vegetation structure, for example, Edition 2 From Forest to Fjaeldmark (revised - October 2017) 1 A serious but localised issue is the pressure put on Gilfedder, L. (1988) Factors influencing the maintenance of alpine vegetation by bushwalkers and, in some areas, an inverted Eucalyptus coccifera treeline on the Mount horses. Where trampling is heavy, such as around Wellington plateau, Tasmania. Australian Journal of campsites and on ever- widening alpine tracks, Ecology. 13, 495–503. species diversity and cover are considerably reduced. Jarman, S.J., Brown, M.J., & Kantvillas, G. (1984) Rainforest This impact is particularly heavy in wet or in Tasmania. National Parks and Wildlife Service. Hobart. waterlogged areas (Gibson 1984, Balmer 1991, Jarman, S.J., Brown, M.J., & Kantvillas, G. (1991) Floristic and Whinam & Comfort 1996, Whinam & Chilcott ecological studies in Tasmanian Rainforest, Tasmanian 1999), with Cushion moorland (HCM) particularly National Rainforest Conservation Program Report No. 3. susceptible. Pug marks left on the surface of the Hobart. plants may take up to a decade to grow out, and can produce erosion (Balmer 1991). Kirkpatrick, J.B. & Balmer, J. (1991) The Vegetation and Higher Plant Flora of the Cradle Mountain–Pencil Pine Livestock grazing is an issue in some areas, as it Area, Northern Tasmania. In: Aspects of Tasmanian removes palatable species of herbs, grasses and Botany: A Tribute to Winnifred Curtis (eds. Banks et al.). heaths, changing the species composition to pp. 119–148. Royal Society of Tasmania. predominantly unpalatable species (Kirkpatrick et al. Kirkpatrick, J.B. & Brown, M.J. (1987) The nature of the 1988). transition from sedgeland to alpine vegetation in Southwest Tasmania. 1. Altitudinal vegetation change in References and further reading four mountains. Journal of Biogeography. 14, 539–550. Balmer, J. (1991) Alpine Vegetation. In: Tasmanian Native Kirkpatrick, J.B. & Duncan, F. (1987) Tasmanian high Bush; A Management Handbook. (ed. Kirkpatrick, J.B.), pp. altitude grassy vegetation; its distribution, community 117–127. Tasmanian Environment Centre Inc., Hobart. composition and conservation status. Australian Journal of Brown, M.J. (1988) Distribution and conservation of King Ecology. 12, 73–86. Billy Pine. Tasmanian Forestry Commission. Hobart. Kirkpatrick, J.B. & Harwood, C.E. (1980) Vegetation of an Corbett, S. (1995) The Vegetation of the Central Plateau– infrequently burned Tasmanian mountain region. Tasmanian Wilderness World Heritage Area. Wildlife Proceedings of the Royal Society of Victoria. 91, 71–107. Report 95/3, Parks and Wildlife Service, Department of Kirkpatrick, J.B. (1986) Conservation of alpine plant species Environment and Land Management. alliances and associations of the treeless high country of Crowden, R.K. (1999) Alpine Vegetation. In: Vegetation of Tasmania. Biological Conservation. 37, 43–57. Tasmania, Flora Of Australia Supplementary Series No. 8 Kirkpatrick, J.B. (1997) Alpine Tasmania, an illustrated guide (eds. Reid, J.B., Hill, R.S., Brown, M.J. & Hovenden, M.J.), pp. to the flora and vegetation. Oxford University Press. 333–356. Australian Biological Resources Study. Melbourne. Cullen, P. (1991) Rainforest. In: Tasmanian Native Bush: A Kirkpatrick, J.B., Gilfedder, L.A. & Fensham, R.J. (1988) City Management Handbook (ed. J.B. Kirkpatrick). pp. 24–34. Parks and Cemeteries: Tasmania’s remnant grasslands and Tasmanian Environment Centre Inc., Hobart. grassy woodlands. Tasmanian Conservation Trust. Hobart. Davies, J.B. & Davies, M.J. (1989) Plant communities of the Parry, J., Kirkpatrick, J.B. and Marsden-Smedley, J. (2016) Ben Lomond Plateau. Occasional Paper no. 1. Queen Explaining the distribution, structure and species Victoria Museum and Art Gallery. Launceston. composition of snow patch vegetation in Tasmania, Duncan, A.M.R. (1991) Management of Rainforest in Australia. Australian Journal of Botany, 64, 484–491 Reserves. Tasmanian NRCP Technical Report No. 5. Whinam, J. & Comfort, M. (1996) The impact of Forestry Commission, Tasmania and the Department of commercial horse riding on sub–alpine environments at Arts, Sport, the Environment, Tourism and Territories, Cradle Mountain, Tasmania, Australia. Journal of Canberra. Environmental Management. 47, 61–70. Forest Practices Authority (2005) Forest Botany Manual. Whinam, J. & Chilcott, N. (1999) Impacts of trampling on Forest Practices Authority, Hobart. Tasmania. alpine environments in central Tasmania. Journal of Gibson, N., (1984) Impacts of Trampling on Bolster Heath Environmental Management. 57, 205–220. Communities of Mt. Field National Park. Papers and Proceedings of the Royal Society of Tasmania. 118, 47–52. Edition 2 From Forest to Fjaeldmark (revised - October 2017) 2 Key to Highland treeless vegetation Page 1 Woody species dominant, cushion plants may be present. 2 > 50% cover of cushion species – any of Abrotanella forsteroides, Pterygopappus lawrencei, Donatia tasmanica, Dracophyllum minimum, Phyllachne colensoi Cushion moorland (HCM) 6 2 Heath on rocky siliceous sites – any of Eucryphia milliganii, Agastachys odorata, Cenarrhenes nitida, Leptospermum nitidum, Orites milliganii, Dracophyllum milliganii will be present Western alpine heathland (HHW) 13 2 Heath typically on dolerite with – Orites acicularis, O. revoluta, Richea sprengelioides, Leptospermum rupestre, Pentachondra pumila, Ozothamnus backhousei, Boronia citriodora, Baeckea gunniana Eastern alpine heathland (HHE) 8 2 Heath dominated or co-dominated by dwarf conifers – any of Diselma archeri, Microcachrys tetragona, Microstrobos niphophilus, Podocarpus alpina Alpine coniferous heathland (HCH) 4 1 Graminoid and/or herbaceous species dominant 2 Sedgeland/rushland on organic soils, generally on siliceous substrates – some or all of Dracophyllum milliganii, Isophysis tasmanica, Carpha alpina, Oreobolus spp., Epacris serpyllifolia. (Generally > 850 m altitude) Western alpine sedgeland/herbland (HSW) 15 2 Sedgeland, rushland or fernland dominated by one of Baloskion australe, Astelia alpina, Gleichenia alpina. Sometimes emergent Richea scoparia. Athrotaxis cupressoides absent or very sparse. (Generally > 700 m altitude) Eastern alpine sedgeland (HSE) 10 2 Athrotaxis cupressoides scattered over any of sedgeland, fernland, Sphagnum, with/without mosaic Eastern alpine heathland (HSE) or Alpine coniferous heathland (HCH)